Paper-feeding mechanism.



E. L. SMITH. PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, I915- Patentd Apr. 2, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET i.

E. L. SMITH.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 17. m5.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. L. SMITH.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-17, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 2 HZMH U'T':

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Patented Apr. 2,1918.

E. L. SMITH.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION-FILED SEPT- 11. I915.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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ELMER L. SMITH, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG-NOR TO PACKAGE MACHIN- EBY COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETI'S.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Emma L. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and,

State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Paper-Feeding Mechanisms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to paper feeding mechanisms and will be herein disclosed as embodied in a mechanism of that general character in which a strip or web ofpaper is unwound fi'om a roll and is fed past a cutting mechanism which cuts the web into sheets of the required length. In one type of mechanism of this general character a device usually termed a slacker? is arranged to act on the web between the roll and the cutting mechanism to measure ofi' or unwind from the roll between successive cutting operations approximately the length at paper required for the next sheet. In the paper feeds of this type as now manufactured it is found that there is a tendency for the slack in the web to accumulate to an undesirable degree between the cutting mechanism and the roll from which the web is unwound, and that this accumulation of slack is the cause of much trouble, one of the more important difiiculties being that as the slacker is moved to unwind the web, it acquires considerable momentum before it takes up this slack, and thus frequently brings up on the web with suficient force to break the web and interrupt the operation of the mechanism.

The present invention provides a paper; feed of the general character indicated which hasamong other advantages that of insuring a uniform and accurate feed of paper and which avoids the dificulty just mentioned. I c

In the accompanying drawings, which show one embodiment of the invention,

igure 1 shows in end elevation a paper feedingmechanim consh'ucted in accord-- ance with the invention and applied to a wrapping machine, only those parts of this 7 machine being shown however which are cssential to an understanding of the invention tain details of construction;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing cer- Patented Apr. 2, 13 13..

Application filed September 17, 1915. Serial No. 51,268.

movably sustained in bearings 8. The strip or web P of paper as it is unwound from the roll 2 is first carried under a guideroll 10, then over a takeup or tension roll 12, next under two guide rolls 13 and 14, over a slacker 16 and finally under another guide roll 18 to a pair of shears 20. Four of these rolls, namely, 10, 13, 1d and 18 revolve on stationary axes, while the other two rolls 12 and 16 not only revolve but are also movable bodily. As the paper passes under the rolls 13, 14 and 18 it comes close to the surface of a stationary platform or table 15. The shears of course are operated at the proper time in the cycle of movements of the mechanism to cut the paper when the required length has passed through them. The web is advanced through the shears by a reciprocating nipper comprising a jaw 22 on the forward end of a slide 2i mounted in horizontal ways formed in the bracket 25, and this nipper is'moved back and forth toward and from the shears by means of a link 26 which connects the slide 21 with the upper end of a lever 28 fulcrumed on the machine frame at E9 and oscillated by means of a roll 30 which it carries and which runs in the path 31 of a-cam 32 rigidly mounted on of a lever 38 that carries a roll 39 on its opposite end and this roll runs on acam face formed on the periphery of the cam 32. A spring 40 acts on the channel bar 35 to pull it upwardly and through its connections with the roll 39 holds this roll firmly against said cam face.

It will now be evident that, as the shaft 33 revolves, the cam 31 acting through its connections with the nipper 22 will advance this nipper to the shears 20 at which time it will act through its connections with the channel bar 35 to close the nipper on the end of the web P which at this time lies at the plane of the shears, as indicated in Fig. 5. The nipper then will be withdrawn, thus advancing the web of paper through the shears which at the proper time will be operated to sever the web and the nipper will continue to advance carrying the sheet S of paper So formed to the required point of delivery, at which time the channel bar will again be operated by its connections with the cam 32 to cause the nipper to release the sheet.

While the nipper 22 is delivering the sheet of paper which has just been severed and is returning to advance the web again through the shears 20, the slacker roll 16 is measuring off or unwinding from the roll 2 substantially the length of paper required for the next sheet. Preferably a somewhat longer length than that required is unwound since this operation facilitates the free feeding or advancing movement of the web. For this purpose the slacker roll 16 is mounted on two arms 42 fast on a rock shaft 43 on which the guide roll 10 revolves freely, and this shaft has fixed thereto an arm 44 which is connected by a link 45 with one arm of a bell crank lever 46 fulcrumed at 47 and the opposite arm of which carries a roll that runs in a cam path formed in a cam 48. This cam is fast on and rotates with a shaft 49 which is driven through a bevel gear connection with the shaft 83. This mechanism ofcourse serves to swing the slacker roll 16 in an are about the axis of the roll 10, from a position substantially as shown in Fig. 5 to that shown substan' tially in Fig. 6 and back again.

In order to clamp the paper against movement at certain times and particularly to prevent it from being drawn backward by the upward or operative movement of the slacker, a brake 50 is provided between the guide roll 18 and the shears 20. This brake comprises a bar or facing 50 (see Fig. 4) of suitable material to bear on the face of the web, rubber being ordinarily used for this purpose, and a bell crank lever 52, one arm of which carries the member 50 while the other arm is connected by a link 54 with another bell crank lever 55 which carries a roll running on the periphery of a cam 56. A spring 57 acts on the lever 52 in a direction tending to hold the brake 50 against the web P and to hold the roll on the lever 55 against the cam 56. Another brake 58 is a cam 60 operating said lever through a link 61, and a lever 62 similar to the parts 54 and 55, res eetively. A spring 63 also acts on the bra e lever 59 to move the brake toward the web and hold the roll on the lever 62 against the face of the cam 60.

The operating mechanism for the shears 20 comprises a pair of toggle links 66 (see Fig. 4) connected, respectively, to the shears 20 and having their common pivot connected to one end of a slide bar 67 which is reciprocated by a cam 68 on the shaft 49 operating through a lever 69 and link 70.

The takeup roll 12 rotates freely on a shaft 72, the ends of which project through slots in two vertical stationary guide plates 74 and are supported, respectively, by two tension springs 76 which are suspended from the upper ends of said guide plates 74. These springs thus act through the roll 12 to tension the web P at substantially all times.

In order to prevent the roll 2 from rotating under its own momentum, a brake 78 carried by a leaf spring 79 supported on the bracket 8, is arranged to bear on the hub formed at the end of the reel 4.

Assuming'now that the parts are in the relative positions in which they are shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5, the slacker roll 16 having measured 06 substantially the length of paper required for the next sheet and the nipper 22 having advanced and grasped the end of the web lying between the shears 20, the nipper next starts on its return stroke while the slacker roll 16 starts on its downward stroke, both of these motions being indicated by arrows in Fig. 5. This movement of the nipper causes it to advance the portion of the web previously unwound or slacked ofi by the member 16 and the mechanisms are so timed that, when-the web has been advanced a distance equal to the length of the sheet desired, the shears 20 are operated by the mechanism above described to sever the web. This of course stops the feeding movement of that part of the web behind the shears but the sheet S so formed is advanced by the nipper to the point at which it should be delivered to the wrapping or other mechanism in which it is to be utilized. The relative positions of the parts at this time are shown substantially in Fig. 6.

During this movement the brake 50 has been held in its raised position by the cam 56 to permit the free feeding of the web by the nipper, but the brake 58 at this time is pressed down by the spring 63 and clamps a portion of the paper between the rolls 13 and 14 against the table 15 and thus prevents any movement of the web at this time which otherwise might be caused by the tension roll 12. As soon as the web has been severed by the shears the brake 50 is deall pressed, as indicated in Fig. 6, thus clam ing the end of the web which lies at tliie shears against backward movement. At substantially the same time the brake is raised. Usually, as above stated; the slacker 16 unwinds more paper than is required for the next sheet in order to facilitate the feedoperation, and consequently, when the slacker is at the lowermost limit of its stroke, the part of the web between the rolls l4 and 1.8 will be looped loosely over it, as shown in Fig. 6. The brake 58 preferably is raised out of contact with the web substantially at the instant that the slacker l6 arrives at the lowermost point in its stroke and accordingly the tension roll 12' becomes efiective at instant to take out this slack or looseness in the paper between the rolls 1% and 18 and tighten the entire length of the web between the rolls 10 and 18, as shown in Fig. 7.

While the brake 50 holds the forward edge of the web against rearward movenient, the slacker 16 makes its operative stroke, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, measuring off or unwinding from the supply roll 2 the length of paper required for the next sheet. The springs 76 which support the tension or take-up roll 12 are of course relatively light so that the roll can yield readily as the tension on the web is increased during the first part of the stroke of the slacker, and it has sufiicient range of movement to maintain a tension on the part of the web between the supply roll 2 and brake 50 at all times when permitted to do so by the brake 58. Theupward movement of the slacker of course starts the supply roll 2 to rotating and it is desirable that this rotative movement be stopped as soon as the slacker has unwound the required length of paper. Substantially this object isaccomplished by the friction members 781 above described which act on the reel 4:; but the relatively short length of paper which may be unwound after the slacker 16 has reached the upper limit of-its stroke is taken up by the tension roll 12 and thus causes no trouble. While the slacker is making its operative stroke and unthe length of paper that is to be advanced for the next sheet, the nipper 22 is advancing to the position shown in Fig. 5,; and just before it reaches this position the brake 58 is depressed, thus clamping that portion of the web between the rolls 13 and 14, and at substantially the'same time or an instant. later the brake 50 is released,

' leaving the part substantially as shown in till Fig. 5 in readiness for the feeding of the nest length of paper.

lhe brakes thus not on the web to determine the portion of the web which is sub ject to the action of the takeup mechanism at any time; or in other words, to relieve certain parts of the web from the action of the takeup mechanism at predetermined times in the operation of the paper-feed ing mechanism. In fact one brake or the other is always effective to keep the takeup mechanism from acting on the part of the web in front of the brake 50.

It will be readily seen that this mechanism is so arranged that the slack paper unwound at any stroke of the slacker is taken up by the tension mechanism before the slacker is allowed to make its next stroke and that, consequently, it is impossible for slack to accumulate at any point in the length of the web. The disadvantage found to exist in former mechanisms of this character thus is avoided and the reliable above as a paper feeding mechanism, it is obvious that it is equally adapted to the feeding of other sheet material used in wrapping, packaging, printing and similar operations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the United States is 1. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of means for rotatably supporting a roll of paper, means for advancing the web of paper unwound from said roll, cutting means for severing said web to form sheets, a slacker between said cutting means and the roll of paper operative be tween the successive cutting operations to unwind from the roll substantially the length of paper required for the next sheet, means acting on the web behind said slacker to tension the web, and two brakes operative on the web at opposite sides, respectively, of said slacker.

2. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of means for rotatably supporting a roll of paper, means for advancing the web of paper unwound from said roll, cutting means for severing said web to form sheets, a brake operative to prevent the backward movement of said web away from said cutting means, a. slacker operative behind said brake to unwind from the roll between successive cutting operations substantially the length of paper required for the next sheet, a takeup roll operative on the web behind said slacker to maintain a tension on the web, and a brake mechanism Mill Nib

form sheets, a slacker behind said cutting mechanism operative to unwind from the roll between successive cutting operations substantially the length of paper required for the next sheet, means operative between said slacker and the cutting mechanism to prevent the backward movement of said web at certain times in the operation of the mechanism, means behind said slacker for clamping the web against movement at other times in the operation of said mechanism, and a takeup mechanism operative on the web behind the last mentioned means to maintain a tension onthe web.

4:. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of means for rotatably supporting a roll of paper, means for advancing the web of paper unwound from said roll, cutting mechanism for severing said web to form sheets, means independent of said advancing means operative between the successive cutting operations to unwind from the roll substantially the length of paper required for the next sheet, a takeup mechanism operative on the web between said roll and said unwinding means to tension .the web, and a plurality of brakemechanisms operative on said web at points spaced apart to relieve certain portions of the web from the action of said takeup mechanism at predetermined times in the operation of said paper feeding mechanism.

5. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of means for rotatably supporting a roll of paper, means for advancing the web of paper unwound from said roll, cutting mechanism for severing said web to form sheets, a slacker operative between the successive cutting operations to unwind from said roll substantially the length of paper required for the next sheet, means acting on the web behind said slacker to tension the web, two brakes arranged at opposite sides, respectively, of said slacker and operating mechanism for said brakes constructed and arranged to cause them to clamp the web independently of each other at certain points in the operation of the paper feeding mechanism and to release the web at certain other points in the operation of said feeding mechanism.

6. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of a reel arranged to support rotatably a roll of paper, nipper mechanism operative to advance the web of paper unwound from said roll, shears between which said web is advanced by said nipper mechanism and operative to cut the web to form sheets, a slacker mechanism operative between the successive cutting operations on the web to unwind from the roll substantially the length of paper required for the next sheet, a takeup mechanism operative on the web behind said slacker to tension the web, devices for guiding the web in front of and behind said slacker, and brake mechanisms operative on said web adjacent to said guiding devices.

7. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of a reel arranged to support rotatably a roll of paper, nipper mechanism operative to advance the web of paper unwound from said roll, shears between which said web is advanced by said nipper mechanism and operative to cut the web to form sheets, a reciprocating slacker, means for operating said slacker to cause it to unwind from the roll between successive cutting operations substantially the length of paper required for the next sheet, a guide roll for the web positioned in front of said slacker, a brake operative on the web between said roll and the shears to prevent the backward movement of the web, a pair of guide rolls behind said slacker, a brake operative on the web between said guide rolls to clamp the web against movement at certaintimes in the operation of the'mechanism, and'a takeup roll operative on said web behind said guide rolls to maintain a tension on the web.

8. In a paper feedin mechanism, the combination with means or rotatably supporting a roll of paper, means for advancing the web of paper unwound from said roll, and cutting mechanism for severing said web to form sheets, of a slacker mechanism operative between the successive cutting operations to unwind from the roll substantially the length of paper required for the next sheet, a brake operative on said web in front of said slacker mechanism to prevent the backward movement of said web while the slacker mechanism is performing said unwinding operation, a second brake operative on said web behind said slacker to hold the web while said advancing means is operating on the web, and a take-up mechanism acting on said web between said roll and said slacker mechanism, said second brake and said slacker and take-up mechanisms being constructed and arranged to cause the take-up mechanism to remove the slack in the web between said brakes just before the slacker begins its unwinding operation in each cycle of operations of t e paper feeding mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ELMER lb. STH. 

